One of the questions asked when working with new health coaches is “how do I get people to my website?” If you are doing business on the internet, you will need website traffic to have business.
Traffic to your website spreads your message to the world that much quicker. Collaboration may speed up the process.
When I started blogging, it was to create clarity and to journal my information and progress. I was working out a huge lifestyle change (as many health coaches do) and I wanted to keep track. The added clarity was a nice bonus. I still go back and look at the information and learn from it. For me, it was like a diary. No one read my blogs. Well not for a while. At first a plastic surgeon started reading it and eventually I gained a following. To be honest, for about 1.5 years, it was pretty well hidden. I then started blogging to create content. I know that sounds silly, I didn’t even know what I was going to do with it…but I knew someday I would use it. It is very useful now..for many things and I am glad that I followed my intuition.
Well, things have changed. My blogs are read now by thousands and I have to be a little more careful about what I post. It was pretty easy when no one read!
So how do you get traffic? I am going to tell you some shortcuts I have learned.
Blogs & Links
#1 Reach out to others who do have traffic. There are many health coaches who submit their blogs to Mind, Body, Green or Elephant Journal. You can also submit blogs to us. Beginning in February we will be running blogs by Health Coaches on Wednesdays.
The principle behind sharing your blogs with other websites is to be able to reach an audience that would not normally be yours. You then attract them back to your website and have exposure that allows you to draw in their audience.
#2 Reach out to others who have as much if not more traffic than you. Create interviews back and forth. This operates under the same principle.
How do you select who to collaborate with? Who does your ideal client follow?
Social Media
#1 Create a strong presence on at least 2 social media platforms. Choose the 2 that have the best reach to your ideal client and be consistently engaged. Drive traffic from the social media to your website.
Opt-in Offer
#1 Create a strong offering. Either a pdf, video or webinar. Promote it through your social media, blogs and on your website. Make sure it holds strong value to your ideal client. There are many ways to create your optin, that is a whole other topic. If you are an Inner Circle Member, you have MANY choices from content that is already created and holds value to your clients.
Advertise
#1 Hand out business cards and network. (Old, obvious and reliable!)
#2 Advertise in targeted magazines, local papers, etc.
#3 Advertise in social media.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization is created by using keywords and meta tags. It is important that you do this in the text of your website pages. If you put all your wording into a graphic and insert the graphic into the page – you do not get the SEO. The search engines can not read the words in the graphic. It is sometimes tempting, because you can control it and make it look prettier (if you aren’t familiar with html), but it is counterproductive. So be sure you have studied what people are searching for it and get those words into your copy.
Content
Be sure that once people get on your site, your site is designed in a way to lead them to where you want them to be. Too much “stuff” is confusing. Keep your website clean and helpful.
Having said all this…before you do ANYTHING – the #1 most important thing you can do is to narrow your niche and know EVERYTHING you can about your ideal client. The better you know your customer the more effective all these tips will be.
Today’s Action Steps:
#1 Get clarity on your niche and your client. Know who your client is…name her, picture her, see her where she is throughout the day, know what causes her pain and what causes her pleasure.
#2 Send an email to a website or blog that your ideal customer follows. Submit a blog post or request an interview.
Share your tips below!
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Great tips- thanks
Love the tips, we can all use the reminders because even though some of us know we should be doing these things, we forget! Thank you for sharing, loved the layout of your blog 🙂
Thanks Teri! It is all changing this week. Sometimes we just procrastinate too.
Cathy such great advice. I love that you remind us about networking, tried and true.
True Karen…we get so busy doing all the contrived things, we sometimes forget the basics.
Thanks for the reminders of what I know I need to do!
Thanks for the reminder of what I know I need to do more of!
Love the tips Cathy! You know how you hear something several times but it’s that one time when it clicks for you or it is just the right time to act on it? Well, that just happened and I am going to act on a couple of these. Thanks!!
Yay!
Great tips. My first go at blogging I narrowed my niche but didn’t have a passion for it and writing for that blog was like pulling teeth. Once I changed it to an area I was passionate about, everything flowed.
Oh Beth, Isn’t that amazing how passion works!
Belinda, it is even more amazing that you can see the difference in a week! Way to go.
great tips Cathy. Glad I’m doing all of them!
I agree. Being clear about the target market, readers, and what you are trying to magnetize is of upmost importance. Sometimes I see Coaches trying to market way too many products as well as too many programs. I understand it from a business perspective but the consumer will keep looking until they find what they want.
You are such a master Cathy! Yes, consistency is key! Brilliant post– thanks for all your wisdom.